Smut-machine.



No. 690,565. Patented Jan. 7, I902.

A. COLEMAN. SIIIUT 'mAcmnE. (Application filed Jam. 2 0, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Wan 5555s THE NORRIS Films on PHcYo-LIYHQ, WASHINGTON. D c

No. 690,565. r Patented Ian. 7, I902.

A. COLEMAN.

SMUT m cumz. v (Application filed Jan. 20, 1900.)

(In Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Wm 5535s NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT COLEMAN, or PORTLAND, NORTH DAKOTA, AssieNoR TO CHANDLER s. EDWARDS, MIKKEL D LKEN, AND GUDBRAND L. ELKEN, OF MAYVILLE, NORTH DAKOTA.

SMUT-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,565, dated January *7, 1902. Application filed January 20, 1300. Serial No. 2,110. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT COLEMAN, of Portland, Traill county, North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Smut-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to grain-cleaning devices; and the object of the invention is to provide a machine for rapidly and thoroughly removing smut and other light deleterious particles from wheat and other-grain.

The invention consists generallyin various constructions and combinations, all ashereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view of a smut machine embodying my inven-] tion. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line w a: of Fig. 1. 1 A

In the drawings, 2 represents the frame of the machine, wherein a tank filled with wa-' ter is supported, having spreading or flaring walls 2 and 3 and made water-tight by means of a sheet-metal liningat or in any other suitable way. The wall 3 has an extension 3 extending above the top of, the machine, forming with said wall an inclined bottom for an elevator trunk or flight that is provided at its upper end with a discharge-opening 5 and r with side boards 5, extending to the bottom of the tank.

Mounted in bearings in the sides 5 of the elevator-trunk near its upperend is a shaft 6, and near the lower end of the trunk is a similarly-mounted shaft 7. Each shaft is provided near its ends with sprocket-wheels 8, over which chains 9 pass, to which an endless wire screen 10, preferably of galvanized iron, passing over wooden rolls 10 on said shafts, is secured. This screen forms an endless belt or apron extending from a point near the bottomof the tank to the upper end of the inclined wall 3, near the discharge-opening therein, and moves in an inclined plane substantially parallel with said wall. Arranged transversely upon the screen at intervals are a series of buckets or pockets 11, composed, preferably, of angle-iron, having one flange riveted to the screen and the projecting ends 12 of the other flange bent forward at substantially right angles to the main portion of the angle-iron and forming sides for the pocket to hold the grain therein.

' Mounted in bearings 13 upon the top of the machine is a horizontal shaft 14, whereon is a secured, a sprocket-wheel 15, over which a chain 16 passes to a similar wheel 17 on one.

from to an inclined pan or shelf 23, immersed in the water and having an imperforate bottom and adapted to oscillate laterally upon rods24z and 25, that arepivotally secured to thesides of said pan and to the casing of the machine. A bar 26, having its ends secured to the sides of said pan, extends transversely over the same and is pivotally connected, preferably near its center, to a pit-man-rod 27, projecting through an opening in the easing of themachine and pivotally connected to one arm of a bell-crank 28, that is pivotally supported upon a bracket 29 on the side of the machine. The other arm of the bellcrank is provided with a'series of holes 30, adapted to receive one end of' a rod 31, that is pivotally connected at its opposite end to the pinion 32 on a stud mounted in bearings on the side of the machine. The pinion 32 meshes with the large gear 18, here 'tofore described, and is driven thereby, and

through the medium of the bell-crank and its connection an oscillating lateral movement is imparted to the pan or shelf 23. Upon the bar 27, arranged at intervals, are a series of fingers or pins, which project above the surface of the water in the tank. When the pan is oscillated, these fingers will agitate and stir up the water above the oscillating pan to aid in separating the smut and other light particles from the wheat, permitting the wheat to settle, while the smut and other light foreign material rises to the surface. The upper end of the oscillating pan is separated from the endless screen by an inclined plate 35, which extends above the top of the Water in the tank and forms the top of the elevator-trunk. An opening 36 is provided in the elevator-trunk between the plate 35 and the upper end of the endless screen, through which said screen and the buckets thereon are visible and through which air circulates to dry the wheat as it is carried up by the buckets to the discharge-opening. An opening 37 is provided in the trunk between the lower end of the plate 35 and the wall 2 of the tank, through which the grain falls fromthe lower end of the oscillating screen 23 into thebottom of the tank beneath the lower end of the endless screen. As said screen doesnot extend the'full width of the tank, Iprefer to provide inclined plates or boards 38 upon each side of the opening 37 to directthe grain into the space beneath the screen. Asthe grain falls from the hopper upon the oscillating shelf the smut and other light-particles, aided by the agitation of the water, will rise to the surface, and in order that such foreign matter may be rapidly removed from the tank I provide an inclined trough or box 39, having its inner end below the surface of the water in the tank. The bottom of this box or casing is provided with a series of slots or perforations 40, and mounted in thesides of the box near its inner end isa-shaft 41, and a similar shaft 42 passes through the sides of the box near its outer endand is mounted in hearings on the top of the machine and forms a pivot whereon said boxis adapted to swing. Sprockets 4:3 and Mare provided on said shafts, over which chains 45 pass, to which angle-plates 46 are secured, said plates being provided with flexible strips47, preferably of rubber, formingscoops or skimmers that gather up the smutand other light particles and sweeping over the, perforated fioorof the trough or boxcarry the foreign material that has been gathered up to the top of the trough and dis charge it out of the machine. The perforations in the bottom of the box prevent the water from being carried out of the machine by the action of the scoops or skimmers. The shaft 42 projects beyond the sides of the machine and is provided with a sprocket 48, over which a chain 49 passes to a similar sprocket 50, provided on the shaft 14, and wherefrom the shafts 4:1 and 42 and the devices thereon are driven. A discharge-pipe 51, having a suitable valve, is provided in the bottom of the tank, through which the water may be drawn 0% when desired.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The tank having been filled with water to the desired height, grain is placed in the hopper,"

and as it falls down upon the oscillating shelf or pan it will be thoroughly shaken and the sm st and other light particles separated therefrom, and the grain passing on to the lower end of the oscillating shelf will fall into the space beneath the lower end of the endless screen and be gathered up by the buckets thereon and carried to the top of the machine, and thence discharged through the opening 5. As said screen extends a considerable distance above the surface of the water, the grain will be drained of water and will also dry considerably before reaching the upper end of the screen. As the smut and other light particles rise to the surface of the water the vibrating fingers or pinswill keep the mass in motion, and the agitation of the water will move the foreign material into the open end of the inclined box, where it willbe caught up by the scoops and carried out ofthe machine. When desired, the inclined box maybe lifted out of the water, swinging on the shaft 42' as a pivot, and, if desired, suitable means maybe provided on the casing of the machinetwhereby the inclination of the box with respect to the surface of the water may be regulated. If preferred, the water in the tank maybe chemically prepared to kill the germs of smut, or it may be heated to such temperature thatall germ life in the material that is separated from the grain will be destroyed.

In various ways the apparatus which I have shown may be modified by any one skilled in the art, and I therefore do notwish to be confined to the details of construction herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, I

' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a tank containing a supply of water, of a hopper arrangedtherein, an 111- clined oscillating pan or shelf immersed in the water below said hopper in position to receive the grain therefrom, agitating fingers ;or pins provided on said pan and means for :oscillating said pan, substantially as de= 'jscribed.

j 2. In a machine of the class described,- the combination, with a tank containing a body {of water, of a hopper supported thereon,au jiinclined pan or shaker immersed in the Water beneath said hopper in position to receive grain therefrom, agitating-fingers provided on said pan, means for oscillating said pan,-

an elevator trunk or flight provided in said,

trunk beneath said pan to receive grain therefrom, and an endless screen having a series of buckets or pockets providedwithin said elevator-trunk, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with a tank containing a body of water, of a hopper thereon, an inclined'pan or shelf immersed in the water beneath said hopper said pan having an imperforate bottom, means for oscillating said pan, means operated by the movement of the pan for agi-= tating the water abovesaid pan to aid in sepbeneath said pan and having closed sides and arating the smut from the grain, means for bottom and openings in its top above and begathering up the smut and conveying the low the water-line, and a grain-conveyer pro- 15 same out of the machine, and a grain conveyer vided within said elevator-trunk, for the pur- 5 or elevator provided beneath said inclined pose specified.

pan, substantially as described. I In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 4. In a machine of the class described, the hand this 11th day of January, 1900. combination with a tank containin a body of water, of a hopper, an inclined os cillating ALBERT L IO pan beneath the same to receive grain there- In presence offrom, water-agitating devices provided on FRED BENTLEY,

said pan, an elevator trunk or flight provided H. G. HALVERSON. 

